


R&R (Rest and Research)

by Firelight_and_Rain



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 18:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11719749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firelight_and_Rain/pseuds/Firelight_and_Rain
Summary: The Watcher of Caed Nua takes a weekend off with some friends.





	R&R (Rest and Research)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chaosite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaosite/gifts).



> OK, so, not to start shit, but, irrelevant to this fic, but I need to say this here to stop myself from making a dedicated discourse Tumblr -
> 
> fanartist who drew Aloth making a Harley Quinn face while in a straightjacket which I saw on fyeahobsidian.tumblr.com yesterday, today? Maybe don't do that.

If you’re certain, Lord, what should I tell visitors?

“Anything. Tell them that I’ve gone to visit Stalwart - trade is good, isn’t it?”

Of course. Should I direct affairs while you’re out?

“You know I couldn’t do this without you, Steward.” Kadri bent to grab up zir bag.

I know, Steward said, amused.

On straightening up - “Kana! Hiravias! … Where are they?”

The kitchens.

“Of course,” Kadri sighed, but ze couldn’t quite fight a smile.

*

“I’m very sure that Sagani meant to leave some of those for me,” Kadri said warningly.

Kana jumped violently, backing into a rack of hanging pans to an almighty clatter. Kadri noticed that he still managed to inhale all of his pastry before coughing and turning to zir. Hiravias was unperturbed, twitching his good ear towards zir and grabbing two more in one hand. He swallowed, loudly, and then said, “Kana made these too, you know.”

“Alright, that doesn’t excuse you, though.”

Hiravias smiled slowly, face dusted with pastry crumbs. “I don’t need an excuse. I have no self control, and Kana didn’t tell me not to.”

“Uhm.” Kana swiped at his face. “I can make more …”

Kadri waved it off. “We still have a lot. I can buy more when we get back. Maybe I should sponsor a bakery.”

“I think that would be a wonderful idea,” Kana said brightly. “I can transcribe a cookbook or two from memory, and I’m sure I’ll get it mostly right.”

“We are brave explorers in the service of cultural exchange,” Kadri confirmed.

“And I am just your humble taste-tester.” Hiravias had been sitting on the counter. He slid off. “I take it that Pallegina couldn’t get away from her duties polishing the embassy’s floors?”

Had Kadri been a more expressive person, ze would have winced. “She’s still navigating between the Knights, the Glanfathans and her people. I don’t think she’ll be able to get away for awhile yet.”

“Wow. I don’t envy her that job.”

Kadri shrugged one shoulder. “I kind of do.”

“Yeah, Kana was right to invite us along before you got the bright idea to transfer yourself into the walls along with your Steward.”

*

They took horses most of the way to Twin Elms. Pallegina’s efforts had secured a period of goodwill between Caed Nua and Glanfath, and Kadri had no intention of wasting such a window of opportunity - and, yes, ze had made official diplomatic meetings, but ze also had more personal reasons for visiting.

“I would say that I would have suggested this excursion if you hadn’t, Watcher, but, uh, I confess I’m a little nervous about this.”

“Oh good,” Hiravias replied to Kana sarcastically in place of Kadri, “the man who considered a band of assassins a minor inconvenience doesn’t think that what we’re doing is a good idea.”

“Well, it is a dragon,” Kadri said cheerfully.

“You’re not helping your case,” Kana pointed out.

Kadri shrugged again, smiling.

*

“You took all that down, right?” Kadri asked on the way back down.

“Of course.”

“I think it wanted to eat me,” Hiravias bemoaned.

“It probably did,” Kana said. “It’s had to restrain itself since setting up so close to a population center, after all.”

Hiravias’ good ear twitched irritably towards Kana.

*

Kadri considered embarking on official business while in the area, but decided against it. Ze didn’t really want to blow zir cover. So they went fishing instead, where blunt fingers of adra pushed up through the gravel and shaded a green cove of trees and ferns. Ze didn’t really like fishing, but Hiravias enjoyed constructing a fishing pole with a thin branch and some twine from the depths of his pack. He then splashed around the shallows; Kadri stretched out on a flat rock, cloak beneath zir horns (which, while not an ideal solution, helped, a bit), boots stripped, pants rolled up, left foot hanging over the water, toes patting down into it.

“I don’t think you’re going to catch anything like that,” Kana said, amused. “Except maybe a cold.”

“What do you know?” Hiravias asked, starting to sound a little strained. “I am the master of the elements. All of them. I’m the greatest at doing stupid shit like this outdoors.”

“Not when you’re splashing around like that, you’re not. If I could just see that rod …”

“Really? The Watcher is right there. As a man of honor, I’m scandalized.”

Kana tisked loudly in annoyance. “Really, Hiravias. I’m just trying to catch us dinner.”

Hiravias laughed. “Here, catch.” There was more splashing.

Kadri opened zir right eye and looked at the water. Kana had waded out, and a thoroughly soaked Hiravias was now perched on his shoulders, trying to hold the makeshift fishing rod still as Kana tried to add more twine. Kadri smiled to zirself and deepened zir breathing, drifting off towards sleep.

*

“So, back to Caed Nua in the morning?” Hiravias asked over the campfire. Kana was humming to himself, finding a tune.

“Yes.”

“Not tempted to run away with me yet?” Hiravias teased, good ear canted forward and good eye shining.

Kadri huffed, the closest ze got to laughing. “Ravi, you burned the fish.”

“Some of the fish. I’m sure some people like it.”

“Sure. You would have burned all of the fish if Kana hadn’t intervened.”

“Yes,” Kana sighed. “I’ve faced restless spirits and just recently a dragon by your side, you two, but I’ve never met anyone less capable of facing the craft of the kitchen. I’d miss Rautaui. Or at least civilization.”


End file.
